Knowsley Secondary Education Admissions 2021–2022 Apply online www.knowsley.gov.uk THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS BOOKLET IS IMPORTANT IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS AND HOW TO APPLY FOR A SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACE PLEASE CONTACT: Knowsley School Admissions Education Improvement Team, Knowsley Council, PO Box 21, Municipal Buildings, Archway Road, Huyton, Knowsley, L36 9YU Telephone: (0151) 443 5142/3372 Email: [email protected] Each secondary school can provide you with more information about their school if you have further questions. Contact details for Knowsley Secondary Schools can be found in this booklet along with details open days/ evenings when you can visit the schools you are interested in and are encouraged to attend. Please note: Where the term ‘schools’ has been used in this booklet, this also applies to Academies. Privacy Notice Knowsley Council will use the information provided on your school admission application and any other supporting information you provide will be used for the following purposes. • To ensure the efficient co-ordination and fair allocation of school places. • To ensure your child has access to school associated entitlements • To ensure information is accurate. • To prevent or detect crime. • To protect public funds. • To meet our key aims and legal duties. We use the information to complete our duties under the Department for Education’s ‘School Admissions Code’ (2014) and ‘School Admissions Appeal Code’ (2012). There may be a requirement to share information with schools, other council service areas, local health trusts, other local authorities and central government. This will only be when necessary and where the law allows it to support the applications process. For more information about how we use and store your personal data, please visit www.knowsley.gov. uk where you can access the full privacy notice for the School Admission Service. Alternatively, contact [email protected] or telephone (0151) 443 3373 to request a copy of the document. THE INFORMATION PUBLISHED IN THIS BOOKLET IS APPLICABLE TO THE SCHOOL YEAR 2021- 2022. EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THE INFORMATION IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION BUT THERE CANNOT BE A GUARANTEE THAT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE TO THIS INFORMATION. PARENTS/CARERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO CONTACT SCHOOL ADMISSIONS IF REQUIRING CLARIFICATION ON ANY MATTER IN THIS BOOKLET. Apply online www.knowsley.gov.uk Welcome Dear Parents and Carers This is an important time for families as decisions are being made around the secondary education of your child in 2021. During the first half of the autumn term 2020, Knowsley parents and carers will have to make decisions about their school preferences and can apply for up to three schools for their child. Before doing this, you are invited to attend open events, as detailed on page 16 of this booklet, to see for yourself all the opportunities Knowsley schools can offer. Our head teachers and staff will be delighted to meet you in a safe and structured environment to show how pupils are benefiting from the exciting surroundings and the excellent teaching available*. All staff wish to work in partnership with you and provide your child with the best possible education. Our schools are committed to helping children reach their potential and are fully inclusive regarding race, disability, sex, religion or belief, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. We want to assist you in making this very important decision for your child’s future and can help in a number of ways: • this booklet gives you information about all the Knowsley secondary schools and how the application and allocation process works, please read it carefully before making your application; • we encourage all families to apply online at www.knowsley.gov.uk by the national closing date of 31 October 2020. • Knowsley school admissions team can provide further information and guidance by telephone (0151) 443 3372/5142/5143 or email [email protected] Finally, may I take this opportunity to assure you of the full support of Councillor Harvey, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, myself and all our education staff. Our commitment is to make Knowsley the best place to be educated and build a high quality, sustainable and successful learning community. We wish your child every success as they prepare to start on their secondary education journey. Julie Moss Cllr Margaret Harvey Interim Executive Director Cabinet Member for (Children’s Service) Children’s Services *These events will comply with any requirements of social distancing. In the event that schools cannot hold open events due to any restrictions imposed by the management of Covid 19, our schools will do their very best to ensure you have all the information you require. Parents/carers may wish to visit school websites or can contact schools directly by email or telephone to request specific information or a copy of a school prospectus. www.knowsley.gov.uk 3 Contents How to apply for a year 7 secondary school place for 2021 5 The inter-authority co-ordinated equal preference scheme 10 Naming preferences 11 Late applications 13 Making changes to your application 14 Waiting lists 15 Receiving your allocation result 16 Withdrawal of school place 16 Locations of Knowsley secondary schools 18 School details and admission policies 19 Academy schools admission policy 20 Academy school details 22 Catholic (voluntary aided) school details and policies 23 Year 7 intake 2020 - allocation statistics 28 Appeal procedures 29 In-year applications and transfers 31 Special Educational Needs 34 Education Support Services 36 Contact details for other local education authorities 38 Summary timetable of the primary admissions process 4 www.knowsley.gov.uk How to apply for a secondary school place (year 7) September 2021 Intake Please take time to read the information in this booklet very carefully to ensure that you are aware of the correct application and allocation procedures before making your application for a secondary school for your child. • If your child is currently in year 6 of primary school or their date of birth falls on or between 1 September 2009 and 31 August 2010, they are typically eligible to start year 7 of secondary school in September 2021. (If your child is currently being taught outside of their typical national curriculum year, you will need to consider whether it is appropriate to apply for a secondary school place – see page 9 for more information) • There is no automatic transfer from primary school to secondary school. Every parent/carer must apply during the relevant application period of 12 September 2020 to 31 October 2020 and must complete the common application form (CAF) of the Local Authority in which they live and any other individual school supplementary forms that are required (this will depend on the schools you are applying for and will be referenced in the admission policy for the school). • Parents/carers have a right to apply for which secondary schools they would prefer their child to attend, but should be aware that there is no guarantee that a place will be allocated at one of these schools. Where schools are oversubscribed (this means they receive more applications than places available), the admission policy of the individual school is used to decide who can have a place. • Knowsley resident parent/carers must complete the Knowsley common application form. Even if your child currently attends a primary school outside of Knowsley and/or if your secondary school preferences are for schools in other authority areas, you must still make your application to the authority where you live. • Knowsley resident parents should make their application using the online application portal via the Knowsley website www.knowsley.gov.uk • If you do not live in Knowsley but wish to apply for Knowsley secondary schools, you can still do this by naming these schools as preferences on your home authority application form. Please contact your home authority or visit their website for more information and to access the correct application. • It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to complete the correct application form and any supplementary school forms required during the application period and by the national closing date of 31 October 2020. If you complete a Knowsley common application form but you are not a Knowsley resident, your application will normally be disregarded. • Applicants must only complete one common application form and should normally only receive one school offer – if you complete the application for more than one authority, the authority in which you do not live will disregard your application. www.knowsley.gov.uk 5 The online application portal Knowsley Authority requests that parents/carers make their application by using the online application portal which can be accessed from the Knowsley Council website www.knowsley.gov.uk If you do not have access to the internet at home, you can visit any Knowsley One Stop Shop or Library where there is access to this facility in order to make your application. Your child’s primary school may also be able to assist you in making an online application. • From the home page, click on ‘education and schools’ and then click ‘apply for a school place’ to access the online application portal. • The online portal guides you through the application, but please familiarise yourself with individual school admission policies and requirements before you make your application. • Before you can make an application, you will need to create an account on the portal by entering a valid email address and creating a secure password. • When you have created your account, you will receive a verification code by email which you will need to use to progress with your application (this is to ensure your email address is accurate).